Room
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: Oneshot set during the new curse. AU as Cora is alive. The first day Regina and Cora wake up back in Storybrooke and they both notice one very important, heart breaking difference with the lack of a room. Mother/daughter fluff and Henry related angst (later fluff).


_Oneshot set during the new curse. AU as Cora is alive. The first day Regina and Cora wake up back in Storybrooke and they both notice one very important, heart breaking difference with the lack of a room. Mother/daughter fluff and Henry related angst (later fluff). _

_I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you all enjoy :) _

Cora wakes up slowly blinking her eyes open before frowning deeply. She looks down at the soft sheets of her bed and the painted walls surrounding her and gasps realising they're still in Storybrooke. _How?_ she asks herself. Regina had to reverse the curse and let go of Henry in order to save them all. They were meant to go back to the Enchanted Forest so how are they home?

She climbs out of her bed in the mansion double checking everything in the room and even looking out of the window to make sure this is not a dream, that she is indeed at home. Home and yet not home. She wonders if everyone is in Storybrooke and what went wrong to make this happen. Cora slips on her robe as she walks out of the room.

It's then that she hears a heart wrenching sob.

Cora runs in the direction of the screams and whimpers to see Regina standing in the doorway of Henry's room, tears running down her cheeks. Her first instinct is to sigh in relief because Regina is here and not ripped away from her. Her daughter is not so lucky. Henry is gone.

Not just physically either. As Cora looks around she can see that all the photos and pictures have vanished returning the house to the way it stood originally. Cora gasps again in realisation as she follows Regina's gaze into what was once Henry's room.

No blue painted walls adorned with pictures from fairytales and favourite photos.

No bed with crumpled sheets and story book atop them.

No clothes and books.

Nothing. It's just a plain white room and it's clear that all sign of Henry has been erased from the house as it was when it first came to being. He's gone and the weight of sacrifice is heavy on Regina's heart as she stares at the empty room and continues to sob.

She let her son go to save him expecting to return to the Enchanted Forest. Leaving him was one of the most devastating moments of her life and the heartache has not eased. She doubts it ever will, not until he returns, if he returns. She expected to wake up in the Enchanted Forest though but she hasn't. They're in her mansion and all it is a cold haunting reminder of what she has lost.

Regina takes a shaky breath as she clings tight to the door. When she woke up she was hoping that the curse had been some sort of horrifying nightmare. She ran to the door expecting to see him sleeping there. Normally when she has nightmares of losing him she seeks comfort in just seeing him in bed and knowing he is there.

This morning there was no such comfort just the heartbreaking confirmation that her son is gone.

Cora places her hand on Regina's back and rubs soothing circles to try and calm her sobs. There's nothing she can say to ease the pain her daughter is feeling. All she can do is be here and make sure she's not alone. Regina stands still for a few moments sobbing before turning into Cora's embrace.

"He's gone," is all Regina says as she clings to her mother letting Cora hold her. "I know," Cora replies, "I'm so sorry honey." They've rarely hugged like this. Since returning her heart to her body the pair have made baby steps and gradually repaired their relationship but embraces like this were left only for certain moments.

Today is one of those moments wherein they forget about the pain and agony of the past and simply be a mother and daughter because they both need it.

"What am I going to do?" Regina asks through a sob as she rests her head against her mother's chest. Cora's shoulders shrug with a heavy sigh. She doesn't know. How can she? She knows what it's like to lose a child but in very different circumstances. One she gave up for power. The other she pushed away in her pursuit of power until Regina sent her away. She was without her heart the second time and though it hurt the loss was dulled.

Regina however sent Henry away out of love, to keep him safe and she feels the pain with all her heart and soul. Eventually Cora finds her answer, "Bring him back."

"I can't," Regina says quietly as she stares into the empty room that once contained her son's snores and laughter.

Cora runs her fingers through Regina's hair soothingly, "You can bring back the photos and the room. You can have your memories and then when he comes back this mansion and you will be ready waiting for him."

"What if he can't come back?"

"Regina, I think we both know that we're part of a family that always finds its way back to one another. We may not remember how or why but we're back in Storybrooke which means that Emma and Henry can find us."

"They've have to remember or at least Emma would," Regina points out.

Cora nods, "They would but I'm guessing we're back here for a reason and some way, somehow the saviour will find her way back here. This town is her home too. One day Henry will come back to you. I believe that."

"How?"

Cora smiles, "Because you came back to me even though I thought it was impossible. Even after everything we're here and I'm your mother. You let me back in and you came back to me. If that can happen then Henry can come back to you."

Regina smiles back softly, "I hope so." She flicks her wrist filling the halls with the photos of Henry, herself, her mother and her family. Henry's room gradually fills in and she sighs staring into it. This room is his even if he's not there to fill it.

(A Month Later)

Regina stands in the doorway with a soft smile. There's a shoe lying on the floor and clothes are strewn atop a laundry basket. Books scatter the desk and a familiar story book lies on the bedside table. It's messy but it's her son's room and for the first time in a long torturous month Henry is in it sleeping with soft snores that make her heart sing.

It's been a long month filled with memory loss and long lost sisters, curses and confrontations and eventually reunions. Zelena's arrival brought with it complications especially for her and her mother but they're working through it. Now they both are hoping Zelena will take the second chance given to her. Regina stopped her by harnessing her light magic. It was a sudden and wonderful feeling to use light rather than darkness, to save rather than to hurt.

With the faith of her mother and son she found the strength she needed. She's finally the person she wanted to be and she won't let anything change that.

It was her kiss that brought back Henry's memories and now he's home. She leans against the doorway and smiles.

Her mother finds her like that and stands next to her. She smiles at her daughter kissing her forehead tenderly, "I told you he'd find his way home."

Regina smiles again. It's in moments like this that it feels easy to be Cora's daughter. The past month has brought them conflict and they've been tested with Zelena's arrival but they've made it through. She smiles brighter as she looks into Henry's room before turning to hug her mother. She never though it was possible but her son is back and her mother loves her and finally it feels like she has the family she always wanted.

_Thanks for reading :) _


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